The enduring teachings of the Paris Commune

Abstract

In this article we attempt to demonstrate thetimeliness of the political teachings of the ParisCommune. In the traditional Political Scienceliterature, and partly also in the Marxist literature,the Commune has been used as a parameter toevaluate the revolutionary quality of states. Butthe Commune also offers a measuring stick forthe weaknesses and failures of “actually existingdemocracies” in capitalist societies, contributing inthis way to demonstrate the democratic fetichismthat holds up liberal democracy as the only possibledemocratic organizational model for the state.